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Metacam photo sensitivity?/ Updated, spoken to manufacturers

Hugo's There

Wise Old Thumper
Does anyone know any info on this?

Our vet recently told us that Metcam become ineffective after being exposed to light for more than a few minutes. She says we now need to give it in drops direct from the bottle. I really can't see how we can do this as we use 180 ml bottles and have to give it to around 15 buns twice a day, some have 1ml at a time :? Even counting the drops out onto food would give it more exposure to light than drawing it up quickly in a syringe and popping it in their mouths.

I have searched online but can't find any info on this, so id wondering if anyone here knows anything.
 
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The bottle is solid so the light can't affect it, its actually dispensing it to the bunnies which has become the problem
 
I can't see any mention of this in the data sheet :?

Maybe it worth be worth a phonecall to the manufacturers to see what they say on the subject?
 
I'll be interested to know what they say. I've been giving metacam on food and often prepare it before I need it. I suppose I could place a cup or something over it to keep it in the dark xx
 
I've never heard of this either.

Remember that Metcam comes with a clear syringe to dispense per kg (for dogs), so I doubt it will be a problem unless the syringe is left standing around for a long time.
 
This is what we thought, but our vet says it is new research that it looses it effectiveness within minutes of being exposed to daylight so will now only prescribe in drops. But if it is photosensitove even getting the drops out onto food and taking it to the bunny and them eating it is going to expose it for a lot longer:? the only way to do it is get the drops straight from the bottle into the buns mouth, like that is going to be possible!!

I will definitely give them a ring in the week
 
If that really is the case then how come it still works ?
It clearly does for my Buns on it longterm and I draw it up into a syringe.
 
If that really is the case then how come it still works ?It clearly does for my Buns on it longterm and I draw it up into a syringe.

My thoughts exactly.

If it turns out it is a problem it may be a good idea to draw up all the doses and put them straight into an opaque box, but I wouldn't panic just yet xx
 
I don't think its light sensitivity response is very rapid... We provide small amounts in darkened bottles to dispense for short-term use, and draw it up shortly before giving without concern. A drug that cannot contact light for more than a few seconds would be of very little use so cannot imagine that a commercial product would be this unstable without mention on the data sheet or in advice to vets.
Certainly the active ingredient is affected by contact with some plastics so it is better to store it in the original bottle and not decant it if it is being stored long-term, and not to keep it drawn up in plastic syringes for that reason.
I would be interested to hear if the company's recommendations have altered when you speak to them on Monday.
 
Thanks Marie, I hoped you might reply.

We decant small amounts into brown bottles each day as you cannot draw it up in a syringe straight from the bottle (180ml) once a certain amount has been taken out. We then draw all the meds up into syringes and give out over, around 10 to 15 minutes. I have started covering all the syringes up until we use each individual one to be on the safe side.

It was our "herbal" vet who said this to Steve last week, so he is under strict instructions to quiz her further about this next time he has her for a consult :)
 
We decant small amounts into brown bottles each day as you cannot draw it up in a syringe straight from the bottle (180ml) once a certain amount has been taken out.

If you use the syringe that comes with the bottle you should still be able to get it out directly. Then you can insert the 1ml syringe into the hub of the metacam syringe (it should fit exactly) and measure it into the 1ml syringe. Does that make sense?
 
I just count out drops onto a teaspoon and syringe it up.
2 drops = 0.1ml

It'll be great fun if I have to do it in the dark :shock:
 
If you use the syringe that comes with the bottle you should still be able to get it out directly. Then you can insert the 1ml syringe into the hub of the metacam syringe (it should fit exactly) and measure it into the 1ml syringe. Does that make sense?

This is what I do- syringe from the bottle into the metacam syringe, then syringe out of there into a 1ml.
 
If you use the syringe that comes with the bottle you should still be able to get it out directly. Then you can insert the 1ml syringe into the hub of the metacam syringe (it should fit exactly) and measure it into the 1ml syringe. Does that make sense?

Yes it does :D Might give that a go.

It was just because we use so much every day that it was easier to squirt a bit into a separate bottle and draw it up from there, and do the same thing the next day.
 
I'm glad I saw this. I have about 20 doses to give daily and tend to draw out the whole lot and put it in a plastic cup and draw each individual dose from that. I draw the dogs dose at the same time and leave that in the big syringe for my mum to give when she gets around to it. That will be the most awkward as the dog runs away from me as she knows what I'm up to if I try to give it myself. I'm not keen on crawling under the table to catch her:roll: She trusts my mum:lol: And looks surprised every time from her!

I wonder if I still have a small bottle about the place. It is possible to do drops from the 180ml bottle, but they sometimes come out a bit fast. If I decant some into the smaller bottle then I can go back to drops, which is how I gave it up until last year when the vets started getting me to log every dose and needed them measured in mls. The trouble is drops don't convert nicely to mls. And drops change size if the nozzle gets clogged up. They are smaller when the bottle is new. The meds log will just have to be inaccurate, and I'll do a reconciliation every so often:roll:
 
I have spoken to the makers of Metacam and they were really helpful and gave me the following info -

Meloxicam, the active ingredient in metacam IS photosensitive. If it is exposed to light for any length of time it becomes " out off solution" so the meloxicam is not evenly distributed throughout the metacam.

However they said there would be no problem with it being left in a syringe for 20 - 40 minutes at the most. Leaving it out for 24 hours in a different bottle would leave it ineffective.

Hope this helps :)
 
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